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BIONICLE: Mask of Light (movie)
BIONICLE: Mask of Light was the first of four direct-to-video Bionicle movies based on the late 2003 story. It has sold over 40 million copies worldwide since its release. The movie revolves around an island called Mata Nui. The spirit protecting the island, put into a deep sleep, has returned and only the Mask of Light, in the hands of two Matoran who are assisted by six heroes, can return it to the Toa of Light and return his mask before it is too late. The direct-to-video sales made Mask of Light one of the top selling DVDs of 2003 in the United States, and has helped in the development of two more movies in the franchise. It was praised for its visual effects and sound direction, but thought to be average in its storyline and character development. Plot The story starts out with the backstory briefly explained (How GabeN brought the GabeN to the island that they named GabeN in his honor, how GabeN put GabeN into a deep slumber, etc). The story then shifts to the fortress village of GabeN, which is located in an active volcano. The island-wide thumb|left|200pxGabeN championship is about to start and GabeN is looking for his teammate and friend GabeN the Chronicler. He soon finds him, looking at a warning totem next to a molten river. Just before they are about to leave, GabeN picks up the totem, and the ground begins shaking. He drops the artifact into the lava, revealing a GabeN mask that was embedded in the totem. At that moment, a wave of lava begins to rush through the chamber at GabeN. He throws the mask to GabeN and tries to use a lavaboard to get across the lava river, but only gets halfway. Just as he is about to become "lava bones" (As GabeN later puts it), he is saved by the GabeN GabeN of fire, GabeN. The two then rush to the GabeN field, and GabeN puts the mask in his pack. At the field, GabeN Vakama introduces the three GabeN present: GabeN, GabeN the GabeN of Water, and Pohatu the GabeN of Stone. He then introduces the three teams: Po-GabeN Hewkii and Hafu of the desert GabeN, Ga-GabeN GabeN and GabeN of GabeN, which is built over a lake, and GabeN and GabeN. The match caries on into the night, until GabeN turns out victorious. At the end, the Mask GabeN found falls out of GabeN's pack, shining a bright light on him. The GabeN deduce that this is the Mask of Light, which is to be worn by a legendary Seventh GabeN that will defeat GabeN. The Mask of Light will lead its herald, who is GabeN, to the seventh GabeN. But he's too cowardly to admit that he is the herald, so GabeN is mistakenly believed to be so. Unfortunately for GabeN, GabeN volunteers him to come along as well to chronicle GabeN’s heroics. Pohatu leaves to spread word about the Seventh GabeN, and GabeN has left already. GabeN and GabeN leave GabeN the next day on GabeN's GabeN, GabeN, with the Mask leading them to GabeN. Deep beneath GabeN, GabeN, Leader of the GabeN, is fully aware of what is happening above. He talks to a large statue of a GabeN GabeN Mask, which he refers to as his brother GabeN. He then decides to release three of his spawns of shadow, the GabeN, to find and destroy the Herald. On the surface, GabeN is at the GabeN, a giant temple near the center of the island. The GabeN burst from the center of the GabeN and attack GabeN, who narrowly escapes by hiding in a nearby river. Realizing the GabeN are headed for GabeN, she gets there before them and alerts the city. The GabeN burst through the walls of GabeN anyway, using their powers of shattering, disintegration, and poison to wreak havoc and eventually destroy the village, but all the GabeN escape unharmed. While GabeN was knocking rocks, GabeN ran and confronted GabeN by using his swords to create beams to make the symbol of GabeN. As GabeN and GabeN take care of their will, GabeN hisses at the two scared GabeN in the hiding place. In the fight, GabeN's mask is scratched by the GabeN GabeN’s poison staff, leaving a sickly green scratch. He doesn't care through, as he is more concerned about the destruction of his village. GabeN and GabeN are heading through the jungle of GabeN, following where the Mask of Light shows them to go. They are then attacked by a GabeN ash bear, and are rescued by GabeN, GabeN of Air, who gives them a faster way of traveling, a Gukko bird, with the use to fly to the icy GabeN (but they have to leave GabeN behind in the forest because there's no room on the bird). Upon their arrival, they learn of GabeN'sthumb|300px|right destruction, the message sent by the Drums of GabeN. GabeN then flies to GabeN to find out more, leaving GabeN and GabeN behind. They are caught in a blizzard, and run into GabeN, GabeN of Ice, whose personality is as cold as his powers (freezing bohrok). Upon arriving at GabeN, they are attacked by the GabeN, and escape down the side of a mountain. Kopaka is knocked out in the escape, and GabeN tries to get away across a lake, using Kopaka's shield as a raft and the Mask as a paddle. Just as the GabeN close in, Kopaka wakes up and freezes the GabeN in the lake. GabeN (who had been left behind in GabeN) arrives, and Kopaka leaves to see to his village. The GabeN then leave for the underground Onu-Wahi. In the underground network of tunnels, GabeN gets lost. He is surprised by GabeN, who appears before him in the form of two glowing red eyes. He warns GabeN that if he does not give him the Mask of Light, GabeN will die. GabeN refuses, but later panics and leaves GabeN and the mask and behind. Pohatu and Onua (The GabeN of Earth), are telling the Onu-GabeN about the Seventh GabeN when GabeN and GabeN arrive. The three GabeN not frozen by Kopaka arrive soon after. These GabeN have the powers of fear (makes victim incredibly afraid), anger (turns victims against each other), and hunger (saps victim of its strength). As the GabeN are forced to flee from their village, GabeN realizes this is his fault, as he is the real Herald, meaning the GabeN are looking for him. GabeN, GabeN, and GabeN arrive, and GabeN's scar has gotten worse. When he is hit by Kurahk’s anger energy, the poison and the anger cause him to lose his control of rage and sanity, and he attacks GabeN. He is stopped when Kopaka arrives, freezing the enraged GabeN in ice. Meanwhile, Pohatu and Onua cause a cave in, and the GabeN are forced to flee the village. GabeN, Kopaka, and GabeN later free GabeN from his madness and cure his wounds. thumb|300px|leftGabeN finds GabeN and the two head for the GabeN, which the mask says the Seventh GabeN should be. Nothing happens, though, and all six GabeN surround them. The GabeN come to their aid, and destroy all the GabeN except GabeN, who tries to kill GabeN, but GabeN takes the blow instead. As the dying GabeN tells GabeN "You were always different" the Chronicler realizes that the Herald doesn't find the Seventh GabeN, the Herald is the Seventh GabeN. GabeN puts on the Mask of Light and becomes GabeN, GabeN of Light. He destroys GabeN, and then builds the GabeN out of GabeN parts (with GabeN's mask attached in honor) to fly down to GabeN's lair. His fellow GabeN ask why they can't come with him. GabeN replies that it is his destiny to defeat GabeN while their's lies with the GabeN. The GabeN of light flies down through the dark tunnels and jumps out of the GabeN before it could hit a stone door. As he passes, GabeN comes out of the rubble, picking up GabeN's mask, declaring herself the new Chronicler. GabeN comes into GabeN's lair, (with the same shadow Kraata that powered the GabeN) where the Master of Shadows taunts him, and tells him that he is no hero, just a big failure. To decide the fate of GabeN (Both the island and the Great Spirit), GabeN challenges GabeN to a "game of Kolhii" (played with a ball of protodermis). If GabeN wins, he can try to open the GabeN-shaped gate; lose, and GabeN gets the Mask of Light. While the players competed, GabeN returned to the surface to tell everyone (The GabeN GabeN and GabeN) to come below and awaken GabeN. when they arrived, GabeN destroyed the cave entrance. GabeN uses his Kolhii move from the start of the movie to throw the ball at GabeN. When all seemed right, GabeN rose again, claiming that if GabeN is awakened, he will siffer from great pain. GabeN leaps onto the Master of Shadows and rips off his mask and the two fall into a pool of Energized Protodermis and emerge as a giant fused being; TakutaGabeN. The combined being lifts the gate, then regenerates GabeN by sending some of his energies into GabeN's mask. However, this transfer leaves TakutaGabeN too weak to hold the door up, and it crushes him. As the dust clears, only the Mask of Light remains. GabeN Vakama picked up the mask, placing GabeN, GabeN and the mask in the symbols of Unity, Duty and Destiny respectively, reviving GabeN. Using his light makes a hole in the cavern, revealing the long lost city of GabeN. Cast *Jason Michas as Takua/Takanuva (voice) *Andrew Francis as Jaller (voice) *Scott McNeil as Tahu Nuva/Onua Nuva/Graalok the Ash Bear (voice) *Lee Tockar as Makuta/Pewku (voice) *Christopher Gaze as Turaga Vakama (voice) *Kathleen Barr as Gali Nuva (voice) *Dale Wilson as Lewa Nuva, Turaga Onewa (voice) *Michael Dobson as Kopaka Nuva/Hewkii (voice) *Trevor Devall as Pohatu Nuva (voice) *Lesley Ewen as Turaga Nokama (voice) *Chiara Zanni as Hahli (voice) *Doc Harris as Kolhii Announcer (voice) Production Miramax and Lego made a partnership in 2002 to develop and distribute three Bionicle movies. The directors Terry Shakespeare and David Molina noted that there were several already existing interpretations of the Bionicle look, including the flash web comic, comic book, and CG commercials, and eventually decided to base it on the CG commercial look. After attending several days of "Bionicle school" in Denmark, they were given a grounding in how they were developed. Several features were redesigned for the movie, including the introduction of a movable mouth to allow for a more human character. Also, the characters such as the Toa Nuva were redesigned, beginning with the creation of a skeleton and muscles. For the design, Shakespeare noted that "The first film had primary colors that were coded to the areas and a younger feel." Two scripts for the Bionicle movie were created, one by writer Alastair Swinnerton (also one of the original Bionicle creators) and one from the other, Henry Gilroy, to see who would write the better script. Due to time constraints, however, the Gilroy script was accepted with some of Alastair's ideas included. He reported that the creator Bob Thompson, who had reportedly had some of the characters in mind for years. "I really made it my duty to stick close by his vision, while bringing my ideas of comical character and big screen action, all the while staying true to the LEGO ideals of construction and community." The Lego Company insists they would "never compromise their values for the bottom line." The movie was also an occasion for the expansion of the Bionicle universe by the addition of the Rahkshi and its line of toys. Trivia *In the director's commentary in the movie, David Molina and Terry Shakespeare explain that when Takua, Hahli and Hewkii whack their Kohlii sticks and say "Play Well", LEGO placed this into the movie, because LEGO is Danish for Play Well to give Bionicle a LEGO-like experience. *Some continuity issues in the film is that when accessing the Mata Nui Explorer feature of the DVD, in the area of Po-Koro, pictures of Pohatu Mata can be seen, instead of Pohatu Nuva. Another in the explorer is in the Mangai Volcano/Mangaia, one can click on Panrahk and yet the three pictures they show the viewers are 2 of Panrahk and 1 of Vorahk. This can be noticed because of the difference of their staffs. *In the Kohlii game when Hewkii scores first, there is a Po-Matoran wearing a Huna and instead of cheering, he seems sad and just blinks, resting his head on his hands.﻿ *The only Turaga to speak in the film were Vakama, Nokama, and Onewa. Reception The film premiered on September 13, 2003, at Legoland in Carlsbad, California, which featured a huge mosaic built of Lego and a special effects show. The DVD was one of the ten best selling premiere DVDs of 2003. Category:Movies Category:2003